Vettel secured his third consecutive world championship last season as Red Bull also won the constructors' title, while Webber finished the year in sixth in the drivers' standings. As a result, Vettel has finished higher than Webber in the championship in each of the four years that they have been team-mates at Red Bull, and Marko says he doesn't expect that to change in the new season.

"Mark knows what we expect of him," Marko told Sport Bild. "For four years, Vettel and Webber have driven together in our team. Sebastian was runner-up once and champion three times. The statistic speaks for itself. There is no reason to think the balance of power will change."

However, Webber has previously said he would not take on a supporting role to Vettel in 2013.

"Obviously with Sebastian's form, he's clearly on the front foot; not only from within our team but he's won three world titles on the bounce now so all the drivers have got to try and topple him," Webber told Reuters.

"I don't go there thinking I've got to be playing a team role as such. I'm there for myself, to get the best results possible and to do that I need to be part of the team. So, no, I'm not going there thinking in a supporting role at all."